Working with the Auraria Library was an incredible adventure and learning experience.

We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with these wonderful educators on more than one occasion, first for the library itself and then later for the Innovation Garage.

We were introduced to the Auraria Library by our partners at Studiotrope. During the course of the project, we collaborated with their architects and their brilliant designer, Anne Pharamond.

In 2014, when we worked on the library itself, we created a high-tech podium for the presentation area. Our team was able to design a beautiful stainless steel and walnut piece with active fan cooling that would prevent electronic components from overheating. When we were invited to return in 2017, we were thrilled because the first project had been such a great experience. For this second project, we worked on creating several custom pieces for the newly built Innovation Garage.

The Innovation Garage is a makerspace lab located on the first floor of the library next to the entrance on 10th Street. It was added to the library several years after its original construction in order to facilitate project-based learning. Once it was completed, the library needed furniture and fixtures that would support the unique types of hands-on activities that would take place in their new lab.

This project was a fantastic exercise in teamwork and collaboration. We worked hand-in-hand with Anne to create designs that would bring her vision to life. Anne is a creative genius and working with her was a true pleasure. We had a lot of fun exchanging ideas with her and learning from her.

By planning and working together, we were able to develop solutions to some difficult challenges. We needed to create workstations and storage areas without taking up a whole lot of space. Furthermore, these pieces had to be light enough to use, but durable and strong enough to house heavy equipment like 3D printers and scanners.

We worked with our partners to come up with creative ideas and in the end were able to manufacture some elegant, yet truly effective pieces. This included a large project display area, specialized software workstations, hidden fold out desks, and mobile workstations with underside storage.

One of the reasons that this project was so enjoyable was that our partners cared just as much about the environment as we do. Early on, they had expressed to us that sustainability was extremely important to them. It was exciting to discover that we had this in common and that our priorities were one and the same: to improve the state of education and also protect the environment. It was great to be able to embark on this journey together and work towards our common goal of making the world a better place.

Throughout the project, we meticulously searched for sustainable and recycled materials that we could use for the manufacturing process. This way, the library would end up with a space that was as innovative as its namesake, not only for its inventive atmosphere, but also its eco-friendly design.

Working with Anne, Studiotrope, and the Auraria Library was an exceptional experience and we look forward to our continued partnership with all three.